AB0487 Scoring the correlations between nailfold microangiopathy severity and finger dermal thickness in systemic sclerosis patients

Background Peripheral microangiopathy and increased dermal thickness (DT) are typical clinical aspects of systemic sclerosis (SSc) (1-3). Objectives The aim of this study was to identify and score possible correlations between nailfold microangiopathy severity and finger DT in systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients. Methods Fifty-five SSc patients (mean age 54±12SD years, disease duration 6±5 years) and 42 healthy subjects were enrolled, after informed consent. All patients were evaluated by nailfold videocapillaroscopy (NVC) to classify and score the severity of microangiopathy. The appropriate NVC pattern was assigned to the SSc patients (“early”, “active” and “late”), and the microangiopathy evolution score (MES) was also calculated (1,4-5). Both modified Rodnan skin score (mRss), and high frequency skin ultrasound (US), scored as PU, were employed to detect finger DT. US was performed at the level of the dorsum of the middle phalanx of the third finger on both right and left hand, and the average value of DT was recorded in millimetres. mRss was calculated at the level of the dorsum of the fingers bilaterally, as reported in the literature (6). Statistical analysis was carried out by non parametric tests. Results SSc patients showed a statistically significant higher ultrasound-DT than healthy subjects, at the level of the fingers (p Conclusions This study describes and scores for the first time the correlation existing between progressive impairement of microvasculature and amount of dermal tickness in SSc patients. References Sulli A et al Arthritis Rheum. 2012; 64: 821-5. Moore TL et al. Rheumatology 2003; 42: 1559-63. Kaloudi O et al. Ann Rheum Dis. 2010; 69:1140-3. Sulli A et al. Ann Rheum Dis 2008; 67:885-7. Smith V et al. Ann Rheum Dis 2010; 69:1092-6. Clements PJ et al. J Rheumatol 1993; 20: 1892-6. Disclosure of Interest None Declared